It’s the battle of the superheroes on this week’s list, as “Iron Man 3” gets the edge over “Justice League” for the top spot. The Marvel film’s first trailer shows star Robert Downey Jr. back in action against a new villain: The Mandarin, played by Oscar winner Ben Kingsley. Tony Stark’s allies Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Rhodes (Don Cheadle) also stop by. It’s enough for the threequel to fly past the upcoming “Justice League” on the countdown. Further down the list are even more superhero films like “The Avengers” (by way of some comments made by “The Dark Knight Rises” DP Wally Pfister) and “The Wolverine.” Plus, it’s safe to say Abraham Lincoln was a superhero of a different sort.
As for the rest of this week’s list…
October 27, 2012.
1. “Iron Man 3” (Last week: Not ranked)
We finally get a look at what Downey and new director Shane Black are cooking up for the threequel in the films first trailer, and it sure doesn’t look like Marvel’s taking a breather after the breathless “Avengers.”
2. “Justice League” (Last week: Not ranked)
Warner Bros. and DC are reportedly planning to release their superhero epic Summer 2015, which will already be home to Marvel’s “The Avengers 2.” They better find a good director to handle Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the team if they want to compete against Joss Whedon and the already-established Marvel movie heroes. It certainly wouldn’t hurt if Joseph Gordon-Levitt could be a part of it.
3. “Cloud Atlas” (Last week: Not ranked)
The ambitious sci-fi/romance epic is finally open (at least in the U.S), and responses are decidedly mixed. What do you think of the film? Check out what co-stars Tom Hanks and Halle Berry think here.
4. “Skyfall” (Last week: No. 1)
After premiering in the U.K., The latest James Bond film has been earning critical hosannas across the pond, leading many to speculate that it’s one of the best 007 films ever.
5. “Paranormal Activity 4” (Last week: Not ranked)
Still profitable after all these years, although box office returns for the latest installment have been disappointing. Part 5 is already on the way.
6. “Lincoln” (Last week: Not ranked)
On “60 Minutes,” director Steven Spielberg revealed his personal connection to his films, including the upcoming historical epic starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Honest Abe.
7. “The Avengers” (Last week: Not ranked)
“Dark Knight” DP Wally Pfister is not a fan of the Marvel superhero epic, and Joss Whedon has taken the classy route in his response. Can’t we all just get along?
8. “Argo” (Last week: No. 3)
Audience demand for the Ben Affleck-directed period thriller is still high, as the film dropped just 15% in its second week in theaters.
9. “The Wolverine” (Last week: Not ranked)
With the timeline of the upcoming sequel appearing to be all askew, Famke Janssen may get a chance to reprise her “X-Men” role as Jean Grey/Phoenix.
10. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” (Last week: Not ranked)
Will Stephen Colbert really pop up in a cameo appearance? And just when it can’t sound any cooler, it’s revealed that “Journey” will be slightly shorter than all the “Lord of the Rings” films.
Watch the previous installment of Movie Power Rankings here.
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